Softwr

Software · head to head

Adventure Game Studio vs Lens Studio

Adventure Game Studio logo

Adventure Game Studio

Software

Create point-and-click adventure games

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Lens Studio logo

Lens Studio

Software

Create AR experiences for Snapchat and beyond

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Adventure Game Studio the AGS editor and IDE run only on Windows (Vista, 7, 8, 10 or 11), even though built games run on Linux, macOS, Android and iOS; Lens Studio performance limited to 10,000 triangles maximum for reliable cross-device rendering
  • They diverge on capability: Adventure Game Studio covers Point-and-click editor, Lens Studio covers Visual scripting.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Adventure Game Studio and Lens Studio actually diverge.

Attributes where Adventure Game Studio and Lens Studio differ
AttributeAdventure Game StudioLens Studio
Pricing modelfreeUnknown
PlatformsWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, WebWeb (Lens Studio editor), iOS (via Snapchat), Android (via Snapchat), Web (via Camera Kit), Spectacles AR glasses
Founded19972011

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Adventure Game Studio

  • Point-and-click editor
  • Room system
  • Sprite animation
  • Built-in scripting
  • Inventory system
  • Dialog system
  • Audio support
  • Resolution scaling

Only in Lens Studio

  • Visual scripting
  • ML templates
  • 3D tracking
  • Hand tracking
  • Snapchat
  • Spectacles
  • Camera Kit
  • Ar support

Both cover

  • Windows support
  • Macos support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Adventure Game Studio

  • Building point-and-click adventure games in a classic Sierra or LucasArts stylenot Lens Studio
  • Shipping a commercial or freeware adventure game with no licence feenot Lens Studio
  • Scripting game logic in a Java or C# style language with a built-in debuggernot Lens Studio

Lens Studio

  • VR Gamingnot Adventure Game Studio
  • AR Marketingnot Adventure Game Studio
  • Virtual Trainingnot Adventure Game Studio
  • 3D Visualizationnot Adventure Game Studio
  • Immersive Experiencesnot Adventure Game Studio

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Adventure Game Studio

  • The AGS editor and IDE run only on Windows (Vista, 7, 8, 10 or 11), even though built games run on Linux, macOS, Android and iOS
  • The editor requires the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable, and .NET Framework 4.5 on Windows 7 and Vista
  • Video playback supports only FLC and OGV (Ogg Theora) and is full-screen only; AVI and WMV support was dropped after version 3.6.0 and existed only on Windows builds
  • MSSCCI source control integration was discontinued in version 3.6.0
  • Graphics drivers are limited to Direct3D 9 and OpenGL
  • Audio format support is limited to OGG, MP3, WAV, MOD, XM and MIDI
  • Support is community-only through forums and Discord, with no vendor support channel

Lens Studio

  • Performance limited to 10,000 triangles maximum for reliable cross-device rendering
  • File size capped at 8 MB restricting content complexity and asset quantity
  • Lens activation time must stay under 650 ms for ad deployment on Snapchat
  • Memory constraints limit number of segmentation and ML effects per Lens
  • Particle effects and scripts using Update Event require careful optimization to avoid exceeding device capabilities

Pricing, plan by plan

Adventure Game Studio

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full editor
    • Built-in script editor
    • Room editor

Lens Studio

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Lens Studio review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Adventure Game Studio if

  • You need point-and-click editor.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web.
  • You also want room system.
Adventure Game Studio review

Choose Lens Studio if

  • You need visual scripting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web (Lens Studio editor), iOS (via Snapchat), Android (via Snapchat), Web (via Camera Kit), Spectacles AR glasses.
  • You also want ml templates.
Lens Studio review

Questions people ask

Is Adventure Game Studio or Lens Studio better?
Neither clearly leads. Adventure Game Studio starts at Free and Lens Studio at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Adventure Game Studio or Lens Studio?
Adventure Game Studio starts at Free and Lens Studio at Free.
Does Adventure Game Studio or Lens Studio run on more platforms?
Adventure Game Studio runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web. Lens Studio runs on Web (Lens Studio editor), iOS (via Snapchat), Android (via Snapchat), Web (via Camera Kit), Spectacles AR glasses.
Can I use Adventure Game Studio for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Adventure Game Studio best used for?
Adventure Game Studio is most often used for building point-and-click adventure games in a classic sierra or lucasarts style, shipping a commercial or freeware adventure game with no licence fee, scripting game logic in a java or c# style language with a built-in debugger. Of those, building point-and-click adventure games in a classic sierra or lucasarts style and shipping a commercial or freeware adventure game with no licence fee are not what Lens Studio is typically brought in for.
What can Adventure Game Studio do that Lens Studio cannot?
Adventure Game Studio covers Point-and-click editor, Room system, Sprite animation, Built-in scripting. Lens Studio covers Visual scripting, ML templates, 3D tracking, Hand tracking. Both handle Windows support, Macos support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Lens Studio: Is Lens Studio free to download and use?

Yes, Lens Studio is completely free to download and use for creating and publishing Lenses on Snapchat. Creators can distribute Lenses via Snapcode with no payment required. Paid advertising options are available starting at $50 per day for promoted distribution.

Source
Lens Studio: What platforms can Lens Studio Lenses be deployed to?

Lens Studio supports deployment to Snapchat mobile apps on iOS and Android, web and third-party apps via the Camera Kit SDK, and AR glasses via Spectacles. Developers build once and deploy to all platforms from the same project.

Source
Lens Studio: Does Lens Studio support AI and generative features?

Yes, Lens Studio 5.0 includes the GenAI Suite for generating 2D and 3D assets from text or image prompts. It also supports SnapML for running custom machine learning models directly in AR experiences without additional coding.

Source
Lens Studio: What are Lens Studio's technical performance requirements?

Lens Studio recommends maximum 10,000 triangles rendered for best cross-device performance, Lens files must be under 8 MB, and Lens activation time must be under 650 ms for ads on Snapchat.

Source
Lens Studio: Does Lens Studio support version control and collaboration?

Yes, Lens Studio 5.0 Beta supports Git version control tools, enabling multiple developers to work on projects simultaneously.

Source
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Adventure Game Studio

More on Lens Studio

Keep looking

Other head to heads